The most powerful tool in your tool box for fighting the winter blues and building your immunity is Vitamin D. I have been a lifelong sufferer of Seasonal Affective Disorder. Years ago before I found the right dose of Vitamin D, I would have NO energy in the winter and let's just say, the mood couldn't really be described as happy and fulfilled. You can read more about natural ways to manage mental health here: https://www.activefamilychiropractic.com/post/nature-s-prozac-natural-antidepressants-1
The routine that I typically rely on to keep my Vitamin D is different this year with Covid 19 on the loose. There have been multiple studies showing what a powerful immune system building Vitamin D is and how higher levels of Vitamin D affect your ability to contract Covid as well as the severity of disease in those people.(1) I wouldn't recommend my dosing in a regular year but right now, I am willing to take extraordinary measures to stay healthy.
It's important to note that the quality of your Vitamin D matters. I have literally had people poison themselves with vitamins when they took crappy big box store's products. This holds for Vitamin D. I use NutriDyn D3 5000mg. This is a product you can buy from me and you can also probably buy it off the internet. I have worked with the company for years and I know that it is a bioavailable product without junk in it. Let's also remember when the big box stores were busted selling vitamins where 80% of the bottles didn't have the actual product on the label in the bottle (2) Buying quality vitamins from a reputable source is important and Vitamin D isn't that expensive regardless of where you get it.
I highly recommend getting tested for your Vitamin D level. It's a quick and relatively inexpensive test. If you are above 30 they will tell you that you are "normal. Don't buy that. You really want your Vitamin D level between 70-90 for your best immunity and depression fighting.
When I originally tested at 37, I started taking 15,000 IU's per day of D3. I did that for three months and then was retested. Unsurprisingly because I was using a good product, my levels bounced into the 60's range. I scaled my Vitamin D back to 5000 IU's per day and then tested 6 months later. My levels were over 100. Too high. I stopped completely for 3 months, retested and bam, down to 40 again. Time to start over. The balance is hard to get right but testing is critical. In normal times I find that after my booster dose to get to the right level, I only need to take 5000 IU's every other day.
I'm doing it differently right now. My levels were good when we started this Covid mess and I continue to take 5000 IU's every day. If I were to get tested now, I would assume my levels are sky high but with Covid on the loose and knowing I am taking a really good product, I feel the gain to me is worse the risk. I was vaccinated last Thursday and I do intend to return to a more "normal" dosing regimen after my 6 week period of "building immunity through vaccination" is done. At that time, I will be back to every other day Vitamin D.
Again, the testing is critical and the quality of the product even more so. Stay away from the grocery store brands. If I can help you with any questions, please be in touch on my website at https://www.activefamilychiropractic.com
2 https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2015/02/03/gnc-target-wal-mart-walgreens-accused-of-selling-fake-herbals/